Caira can review your contract in 3 clicks:

• Get suggested changes and comments added directly to your file

• Generate an email summary to send to the other party

It takes less than 30 seconds to sign up for a free trial. No credit card required: Start your free trial

If you’re a builder, plumber, or spark contracting in the UK, you know the script. You visit a site, suck through your teeth, send a quote via WhatsApp or email, and the client replies: "Great, when can you start?"

That’s a contract. Legally, the offer was made, accepted, and consideration (money/work) was promised. Ideally, the job goes smoothly. You do the work; they pay the cash.

But have you ever finished a job only for the client to suddenly turn into a qualified building surveyor? They’re running a finger along the skirting boards, claiming the finish isn’t "premium" enough. Or worse, the classic line: "Since you’re here, could you just move that radiator?"—and then refusing to pay for the extra day’s labour because "I thought that was included."

On forums like Screwfix Community or UKBusinessForums, the story is always the same: "I’m owed £5k for 'extras', but I have nothing in writing."

The "handshake culture" of the trade industry is honest, but it leaves you dangerously exposed. Here are the legal traps you’re walking into, and the clauses that fix them.

1. The "Variations" Black Hole

The Scenario: You’re fitting a bathroom. The client decides they want the shower valve on the opposite wall. You say, "Yeah, no worries," and do it. It takes an extra half-day of pipework and materials. When the final invoice arrives with an extra £400 charged, the client hits the roof. "You quoted £4,000! You never said it would cost more."

The Legal Reality: Without a written agreement for the change (a Variation), you enter a "he-said-she-said" battle. If you are working for a residential client (consumer), the onus is heavily on you to be transparent about costs before incurring them.

The Fix: Your contract needs a Variation Clause. It should state: "Any changes to the agreed Scope of Works must be confirmed in writing. Expenses and additional labour will be charged at [£X] per hour." Even a quick text message saying "Moving that pipe costs £400, agreed?" and getting a "Yes" reply can save you thousands.

2. Walking Off The Job (The "Suspension" Myth)

The Scenario: You’ve done the first fix. The client was supposed to pay the second instalment on Friday. It’s Tuesday. No money. You’re angry, so you tell the lads to pack up and leave. You tell the client: "We aren't coming back until paid." The client fires you for abandoning the job and sues you for the cost of hiring a new (more expensive) builder to finish it.

The Legal Reality: This is one of the most dangerous areas of construction law. If you are working on a commercial job (e.g., for a developer), the Construction Act 1996 gives you a statutory right to suspend work for non-payment (if you give 7 days' notice).

BUT, if you are working for Mrs. Jones at number 42 (a residential client), that Act doesn't apply. Unless your contract has an express Suspension Clause, walking off site could be a "repudiatory breach of contract" on your part. You technically broke the contract first by stopping work.

The Fix: Ensure your Terms & Conditions explicitly allow you to suspend performance if payment is late by more than 7 days, without you being in breach.

3. "Pay When Paid" (The Subcontractor's Nightmare)

The Scenario: You’re an electrician subcontracting for a main builder. You finish the rewire. You send your invoice. The builder says: "I’m waiting for the client to pay me. I’ll pay you when I get the cash."

The Legal Reality: If this is a construction contract, "Pay When Paid" clauses are illegal and void under UK law. It doesn't matter if the builder hasn't been paid; they still owe you.

The Fix: If a builder tries this excuse, quote the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. You are entitled to your money. Point out that their cashflow problem is not your contractual problem.

4. The "Making Good" Argument

The Scenario: You’re a plumber chasing out a wall for new pipes. You plaster over the chase, but the wall now needs repainting. The client expects you to repaint the entire room. "I hired you to install a radiator, not leave my wall a mess."

The Fix: Your Scope of Works needs to be surgical. It must have an Exclusions section.

"Includes: Chasing wall, installing pipework, filling chase with bonding."*

"Excludes: Final skim finish, painting, decorating, or floorboard replacement."*

If it’s not in the quote, it’s not in the job.

Why You Need a Contract Review

You’re a tradesperson, not a solicitor. You downloaded a free contract template in 2018 and haven't looked at it since.

AI contract review can scan your Terms of Business in seconds. It checks:

• Do you have a clear Payment Schedule?

• Is there a Variation/Extras clause?

• Are you protected if you hit concealed pipes/cables? (Limitation of Liability)

It turns your paperwork from a "nice to have" into a "shield of steel," so you can get on with the job and get paid what you’re worth.